Page 26 of The Fake Out

An image of Emerson in a dark suit floated through my head. The way he’d smile down at me as he stood next to me. My heart skipped at the idea of his hand resting on the small of my back. I swallowed.

“Gigi?”

Jake’s voice startled me back to the conversation.

“Okay, go with Libby. Not an issue.” Maybe even call her Lili or Bibi. I didn’t give a shit.

He let out a long breath. “Thank you for understanding. I thought you were going to fly off the handle at the idea that she’d take your seat.”

I blinked, and my heart lurched. “Wait…what?” I cocked my head to one side so quickly my messy bun bounced.

“Since the zoo account is getting so much publicity, the firm is sending all the big guns. It was just supposed to be you and me, but now the higher-ups are attending.”

He couldn’t be saying…

“So thank you for letting Libby have your ticket.”

He was saying it. My hand tightened around the narrow brush as fire ran through my veins. “Jake, this is my account. I brought it in. I did all the work.”

After doing the sign for Chris and Avery’s puffin exhibit, the zoo asked me to update the signs throughout the whole park. Like a loyal dumbass, I’d brought the account to the firm. Without me, it wouldn’t have even been a thing.

“Right, right.” He brushed that off like it didn’t matter. “We aren’t taking credit. Everyone will know it’s your thing. And we can send you pictures of the event.”

The wooden handle of the paintbrush between my fingers cracked from the pressure I was putting on it. “Jake,” I gritted out, setting down the broken brush.

His tone hardened. “You’re going to be difficult, aren’t you? You have to learn to let me go, Gigi. No one likes the pathetic girl who can’t move on when it’s over.”

The effect his words had on me was so visceral I reared back as if he’s physically reached through the phone and hit me. I didn’t care about seeing Jake. In fact, I’d rather he not come to the event. But he was overseeing the project, so I’d come to terms with his presence. Regardless, his position with the company didn’t take away my right to go.

If I threw a fit, I’d get a seat at the table. Because, after all, I’d single-handedly landed this account. But if I did that, Jake would twist my reaction and make it look as though I was a jealous ex who wasn’t over him.

Apart from his calls and emails, I hadn’t thought about Jake in the last few days. I didn’t miss him, and I definitely didn’t miss the way he treated me. If I’d learned anything over the last few weeks, it was that I should have ended things a long time ago. I wasn’t heartbroken; I was embarrassed and pissed. It had taken far too long to figure it out, but the truth was that I hadn’t loved him, no matter how much I tried to make myself.

But did I want to deal with rumors of being the jilted ex? No.

“Trust me, I’m long over you,” I muttered.

He chuckled. “Sure.”

Was it actually so hard to believe? My temper flared, the fire inside me raging, and the words slipped out before I could stop myself.

“I’ve actually been seeing someone. It’s fine if I don’t go to the zoo thing. It’ll be the perfect opportunity for the two of us to do something else.”

He snorted again. “I’ll believe it when I see it. But whatever you say. As long as we’re on the same page with Libby taking your seat and you not throwing a fit, you can live in your fantasy world.”

“Right.” I bit the word out. Every part of me wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, but I needed this job. I hadn’t had one hit on my résumé on Indeed or any updates from the recruiter I’d spoken with. Apparently, the industry was oversaturated. And the idea of quitting my job without another lined up was scary as hell. I couldn’t not have an income.

“Don’t let this mini meltdown of yours affect your work. I need those images for the Java project by Monday.”

“Right.” I kept the single word short, but I tempered my tone into something mostly professional.

The way Jake made every project funnel through him was frustrating. I provided him with a design, and he went to the customer with it. Then he’d come back to his team with changes and tweaks. Technically, overseeing the designs and communication was part of his job, but for the artists, having no contact with the customer made the work harder and extended timelines. One of the reasons the zoo project had been done so quickly and efficiently was because I’d gotten to speak directly to the zoo’s team. Since I was the one who’d brought them in, they’d specifically requested that I be their point of contact. If only that could happen more often.

Abruptly, Jake cleared his throat and said, “Night.”

When the room fell silent, my eyes moved to the clear bag holding the red dress I’d picked up from the tailor today. I had splurged on it, especially since I’d paid extra to have it taken in so that it fit better. It was the kind of dress that would make an ex-boyfriend suffer. Originally, that was my thought. But every time I envisioned a set of eyes roaming over me, they were green, not brown. And the truth was that I didn’t care much about what Jake thought. Though that didn’t mean I wouldn’t mind seeing a day when karma would bite him in the ass.

“Hey, Bambi.” Chris stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind him with a gentle kick. “Where is Gi?”

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